Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted
Set out contingency plans for external partner changes and engage staff on Across the UK.
Recommendation
The BBC has not fully grasped the significance of the other bodies and communities it needs to work with effectively and which are crucial to the success of Across the UK. As part of Across the UK, the BBC has established partnerships with local authorities, combined authorities and local industry bodies. The BBC highlighted the value of local partners to the delivery of Across the UK and the work it does, but its evidence is contradictory. The BBC said it wanted partners to bring in investment but also insisted it could deliver Across the UK without them. It also claimed its plans are unaffected by the cancellation of the planned HS2 train line between Birmingham and Manchester. Several local authorities are close to declaring themselves bankrupt and may have to withdraw some local services, yet the BBC did not understood the full impact of these financial pressures and lacked contingency plans if local partners have to pull out. Furthermore, although Across the UK is designed to change the culture of the BBC and will have a significant impact on many staff, the BBC did not collect data on what its staff think about the programme. Recommendation 6: As part of its response to this report, the BBC should set out: • how it will identify and monitor the impact of any sudden or unexpected changes to commitments from its external partners, and what contingency plans it has for such uncertainties. • how it will engage more fully with its staff to understand and take account of their views to make its implementation of Across the UK a success. 8 The BBC’s implementation of Across the UK 1 The intended benefits of Across the UK
Government Response Summary
The BBC committed to engaging with staff by analysing staff survey results by location, engaging with divisional teams and regional leadership as part of a midpoint review, and conducting post-implementation reviews for relocations. It clarified that specific ATUK questions are not included in the main staff survey due to the small proportion of affected staff.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The BBC agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. staff views relating to ATUK. The BBC internal communications team which supports the programme is analysing BBC staff survey results by base/location to monitor staff sentiment, and as part of the midpoint review of the programme, the ATUK central programme team is engaging with divisional teams and regional base leadership to gather staff feedback. The programme conducts post-implementation reviews for all divisional relocations to ensure that the organisation continuously improves its approach to future work. The BBC previously confirmed to the NAO that it did not ask specific questions within its Staff Survey on ATUK as the affected staff group (i.e., those who are being asked to relocate) is small as a proportion of all BBC staff. This is in-keeping with its approach to other BBC critical projects and programmes with the Staff Survey.